Folding tent for automobile tops



June 17, 1952 J. OTVOS 2,600,799

FOLDING TENT FOR AUTOMOBILE TOPS Filed Dec. 51, 1948 VE N TOR JOSEPH 071/06 6/: ATTORNEY Patented June 17, 1952 PAT? 4 Claims.

iYentiQnelate eneral ofol i ey ntsnd nartiqularl tm; one fasla tedfior: rection-- the top of an automobile.

na b r biests fl het nven i n is he pro- ;a ent adan slda la sednr ol ed e o, Al -t e p cked-and: ransp r d on he to rota. i tpmqpile n w o e teden nted; nereqnasoce si nrequiresan t bi ct ofimr. nv nt ni rov si n Th nveniiqnnossess sothero e t fiqmeo which with the foregoing; will beset-forth at length-,in the; ollowing description wherein is explained that form of the invention which has been selected for illustration-in thesdrawings accom anying, and forming a,.part,of this specification. It is to be understood thatthe invention is. not limited toa forrn shown in the drawings since the invention as set forth-in the claims may be embodied in a plurality offorms.

Re'ferringrto the drawings; The figure is aperspectiye view of my foldingtent structure, as erectedron the, top of a sedan automobile which isindlcatedjn broken lines. Portions of the figure aretoinitted -to,disclose theunderlying parts It has long been the practice among campers to carry tents, beds and other camping equipment on the tops of their automobiles as well as in the interior of the car. In either case the problem of making camp at night always demands the selection of a level site for the tent and its erection. Frequently too, the matter of protection against snakes, ants and all the other crawling slithering things of a night in the wilds compel attention, especially if women are to be accommodated. Even a male, hardened to outdoor life has been known to object when waking in the chill dawn he found himself bedfellow to a rattler who had entered without knocking, seeking only warmth and affection.

With the rig of my invention the site of the tent is always ready; and it remains only to park the car on reasonably level ground. When the pack has been undone and the tent erected, the floor of the tent provides ample space for two sleeping bags, and three with a bit of crowding. Since the floor is at least five feet abov the ground, and separated from it by the body and wheels of the car, practically complete protection is afforded against the crawling and walking invader.

In broad terms the rig of my invention comprises a platform with means to fix the platform mama and; e dable tabilit hen,

- the rearbumper-of the car, gives an ,easymeans.

ecu y v o n; au mobi e. on lura i f bows ar mount vyhinge th -pl tf rm to sup o t-the co'v ineh co i i upp rt d between the bows rby parallel slats, which areheld in a. unit grouping heavy; tapes secur ed near theendsofthe slats. Theparts are so proportioned, and arranged that when the, bowsjare w ng, to-,- p ish lpos t he-s atunit m y be th ow ove he t p oi he ows T ame workthusformed is fittedby the-covering, ;which is pulled down snugly and secured aroundjts loweredges .to ,the edge of the v platform, thus holding everything in place. Flaps are-arranged in the rear wall ofthe tent; andademountable,

ladderbetween the rearedge oftheplatform and of getting up, to and down frdmthe-tentfloor,

By removingthe covering and slat unit, the,

bows are folded over toward each-othenaften which the other parts, sleeping gear andother camp-luggage arranged on the platform, coyered with atarpaulin and lasheddown. The. car,

and itssequip nent is now ,ready for traveL.

In greater detail, my v invention' comprises a.

platform 2, preferably'of 5-tply cpanel stock, secured byscrews to a cross barj near each end. Each ,cross bar. near its. ends is fixed to -a short shoe 4, which is equipped with a rubber suction cup 6 near each of its ends. The cups form direct contact with the car top 1; and since there are two under each end of each cross bar, or eight in all, ample non-skid support for the platform is assured. Further security is had by a strap-andbuckle connection 8, between the ends of the cross bars and the hooks 9, engaging the gutter bead 12 of the car.

Disposed at each corner of the platform and also preferably near the middle of each long side is a hinged socket 13. Each opposite pair of sockets provides a mounting for a bow l4, conveniently bent from tubing or light pipe. The bows constitute the upright or vertical framework of the structure, and each is demountably seated in the associated hinged sockets, so that it may be taken off when it is desired to use the platform for something else.

Extending between the bows are a plurality of slats I6, which at each end ar connected by a fabric strip or tape H, which holds all the slats together in parallelism and in a unitary assembly which can readily be thrown over the bows when they are erect. A block [8 on the underside of the central slat, notched shallowly to receive one-half the thickness of the bow, keeps the bows from folding over whil the slat assembly is in position.

The cover 2| is shaped to fit closely down over the slats and bows, the slats supporting the cover across the top of the structure. When the cover i in place the lower edges are secured around the edge of the platform by snap fasteners 22 or other suitable attachment means. So secured,=

the cover holds the slat assembly and bows together and provides a tight tent above the platform secure against rain and wind.

The rear end of the tent is arranged with the usual flaps 23 for entrance; and a two-piece demountable ladder connects the rear edge of the platform and the rear bumper of the car.

Studs 24 bolted to the rear edge of theplatto engage both sets of studs. Gravity then tends to hold the ladder in position of use.

By lifting the central slat free of the bows it is possible to fold the central bow forwardly, and the end bows toward each other and collapse the entire structure upon the beds on the platform. Lashings over this pack secure it for travel. Lifting the bows back to position again erects the tent structure.

If desired of course the tent may be unsnapped, removed, folded into a smooth bundle, and stowed on the platform with the bedding. The slat assembly can then be taken off, doubled and laid flat on the pack, and the bows folded down. A previously fitted tarpaulin may then be thrown over the pack and secured with fasteners to the platform edge.

I claim:

1. An auto-top tent comprising a platform, means for supporting the platform on the top of an automobile, a plurality of tent supporting bows disposed on the platform, a plurality of loose slats extendin across the bows, a fabric strip connected across the slats near each end and forming therewith a demountable cover-supporting structure, and a cover comprising four walls and a curved top and fitting over the slats and bows to provide a tent above said platform.

2. An auto-top tent comprising a platform, means for supporting the platform on the top of an automobile, a plurality of pairs of sockets hinged to the platform, a bow demountably arranged in each pair of sockets, a plurality of loose slats extending across the bows, a fabric strip connected across the slats near each end and forming therewith a demountable cover-supporting structure, means fixed to one of the slats adjacent each of at least two bows and having therein a notch engaging the bow to hold the bows erect, and a cover supported by the bows and forming a tent above said platform.

3. A tent comprising a platform, a plurality of bows hinged to the platform, a plurality of spaced loose slats extendin across the bows, a fabric strip connected across the spaced slats near each end and forming therewith a demountable coversupporting structure, and a cover fitting over the slats and bows.

4. A tent comprising a platform, a plurality of bows demountably hinged to the platform, a plurality of slats extending across the bows, a fabric strip connected across the slats near each end and forming therewith a demountable coversupporting structure, means fixed to one of the slats adjacent each of at least two bows and having therein a notch engaging the bow to hold the bows erect, a cover fitting over the slats and bows, and releasable fastener means for securing the covering to the edge of the platform.

JOSEPH OTVOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 553,735 Murgatroyd Jan. 28, 1896 1,984,681 Jackson Dec. 18, 1934 2,222,636 Strauss Nov. 26, 1940 2,346,554 Clark Apr. 11, 1944 2,561,168 Beckley July 17, 1951 

